


Veni, vedi, venti - Scenarios of how Hollis Mann made Slibbs happen

by SpookyStar29



Category: NCIS
Genre: Character Study, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gibbs-pov, Hollis-pov, IlovebossyHollis, Jack is cute and so is Gibbs, Jack-pov, Observations, Revelations, Slibbs, Truth, sometimes exes are good for something
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23855176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyStar29/pseuds/SpookyStar29
Summary: From latin to english: "I came, I saw, I served"Hollis sees what everyone sees except those two people who should. Honest as she is, she hands Jack and Gibbs glasses.The title is an Army-Motto and it is kind of the exact definition of what Hollis does in these stories.
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Comments: 18
Kudos: 85





	1. Szenario 1

**Author's Note:**

> The pov will vary during the stories, mostly it's out of Hollis' or Jack's perspective though. 
> 
> Prepare for Slibbs, cheesiness, awkwardness, and a lot of bluntness coming from certain greeneyed army vet.

_“She’s a good woman. I hope you know that.” <br />_  
_“You’ve barely known her for what, three days?” <br />_  
_“And you’ve known her for almost three years and still don’t seem to realize it.”_

~

She had never been a matchmaker. Her friends in school had tried to pair her with some guy, once – it ended with a disaster. Since that, her love life had been a secret, a “if you go there you will die” kind of place. No mans land.

Also she was never the overly romantic type – at least she claimed. Maybe that wasn’t so true, after all. She for sure liked a good gentleman, a guy who carried her on his hands, was affectionate.  
Truth be told she had gotten sick of commanding people around, something which she had enjoyed in her earlier years, but at around 45 she realized all she wanted was someone who saw her as a normal human being, as someone with needs and feelings, as a woman.

For her relationships were all about equality – not only literal. If her partner was an ass, she was an ass. If he was sweet, she was sweet, too. Giving and receiving on equal terms.

Until she met one certain agent and realized what she had called “dating” had never really been about love … but about being with someone, just so she wouldn’t be alone anymore. That it wasn’t so easy.

And still, fighting for his attention, fighting for THIS, for a relationship with him, hadn’t worked out.  
Maybe it was both their fault.  
She had grieved over him, thinking back to it with heavy melancholy even though she had forced herself not to do that.

Luckily she had found someone who could heal her bruised heart, who could see her as the person she was. The person under the steely armor and the bossy looks and the blazing green eyes.  
Daniel had saved her, she was sure about that.

So … other people’s love lives didn’t concern her, and she never showed interest in them.  
At least they hadn’t in the past.  
Never had she let the thought cross her mind that she would actually turn into a matchmaker in her fifties.

One thing that had always been steady in her life was this – when she cared for someone, she cared _deeply_ , and she would do literally anything to either keep them save or, if that wasn’t possible, try to improve the situation.

Hollis Mann had always had the sharp eyes and senses of a hawk, so it wasn’t usual for her detect changes. She always knew when something was off, she felt it. It was as if she had some desperate urge inside or her to solve any riddles or problems or secrets. Maybe that was why she had been, still was, such a good investigator. Her focus on the facts and the most important had always been an advantage.

Just as her focus right now were two very special people, a silver haired man with the bluest eyes of blue, and a blonde woman in red heels with a smile that could soothe a storm with just one look.

She had met the newest members of the team, Kasie Hines and Jacqueline Sloane, briefly. It was enough to sense _it._  
Kasie Hines had closed the gap Abby had left behind perfectly.  
Jacqueline Sloane added spice. In some very interesting, smooth way, she had turned something around, yet fit in perfectly without changing anything.  
Like a contradiction. Everything was the same and yet … it was totally not.

Being able to sneak a peek at Jacqueline - Jack - and Gibbs interacting standing way to close was worth the lack of her own coffee she hadn’t been able to carry. She thought about purposely exchanging them, getting Jack the bitter Gibbsian-one and him her sugar-poison which was even too much for her – just to see their faces, to see them glance at her maybe, then back and forth between each other, Jack’s deep brown versus Gibbs’ blue. The really would make a devilish attractive couple.

That was the “it”.  
There was something happening between those two, and it had changed, developed into something which was almost gripping, since the last time she had been at NCIS. It wasn’t even an “elephant” in the room anymore. It was a giant, blue whale desperately fighting for getting noticed but unable to articulate himself.

“I guessed you two might need some caffeine on this day.” She decided to not be evil last minute and handed them both their individual choices. Why she remembered Jack Sloane’s choice of a coffee – or more like her choice of sugar with coffee – after she had just briefly picked it up some when she didn’t even wonder anymore. It was her strengths sensing easter eggs and placing them down somewhere in her mind. She was always the one who found mistakes in movies. Drove her brothers crazy.

“Thank you.” Jack gave her that warm, overly pretty smile. Not for the first time Hollis was sure if she were a guy and single she would have asked this woman out after the first minute of knowing her.  
How the hell could Jethro maintain this? Apparently the Marines really taught some otherworldly stamina. Even though she was starting to really get annoyed by this sort of stamina. Or should she say … ignorance?

*

The day went a lot smoother than all of them had anticipated, and they even were able to finish early.

Still … she drained to go home. She’d only leave this building whenever one certain agent did.  
After texting Daniel that she didn’t know how long she’d have to stand the ground there, she opened her laptop and decided to work through some files she had saved there. Call her sneaky, but she had made it her personal goal to grill someone.

Luckily she didn’t need to occupy herself with actually unnecessary work for that long.  
“Hol?” His voice travelled over to her about forty minutes later. “You planning to stay here all night or what?”  
“No.” She shut down her laptop, overly aware of him watching her and, of course, noticing she wasn’t using an NCIS computer. “I’m coming with you.”

He gave her a last, questioning glance before catching up with her. They took the elevator down together, and his unspoken question lingering between them, heavy in the air.  
She wouldn’t make it that easy for him. He didn’t have to know she purposely spend her early evening at NCIS just to get him to talk about special something …

“Something is bothering you.” Of course she already knew what the “something” was, but she tried to throw a subtle hint. She’d give him a chance of proving to her that he had changed, that he had learned to talk.  
He didn’t.  
Of course he reacted exactly the way as she had imagined.  
He turned towards her, a disbelieving look on his face. “’Xcuse me?”  
“I’ll correct myself. Someone.” She teetered on her heels before turning her body towards him. “A woman.”  
As he didn’t even flinch, she signed and decided to take initiative. She flipped the switch so the elevator stilled, turning back to face him, green eyes piercing into his.  
“You have a secret crush.”  
He chuckled, though he wasn’t able to hide the crystal clear uncomfortableness his whole body language was exuding. “I’m not 15 anymore.”  
_Oh really?  
_“Well you certainly act like one.”  
Now he was all back to his usual Gibbs-style and -stare. Hollis tried to hide the smirk tucking at the corner of her lips. He knew exactly that he couldn’t stare her down, that this strategy didn’t work with her.  
She wondered if it worked with Jack …

“Let me guess.” Arms crossed she leaned against the wall, purposely hiding the switch to make it impossible for him to reach it. “Blonde beach waves, puppy eyes, a cheerful smile and looks absolutely gorgeous in a pencil skirt.” _Or anything_ , she would have loved to add, just to tease him more than she already did. And boy, did it work. As much as he tried to hide it behind a cheeky smirk as he gave her a onceover, she caught the uneasiness in his eyes.  
“You wanna ask her out or somethin’, go ahead.”  
Yeah, _of course_ he tried to steer the conversation around. Not this time. The Navy was his toil, usually, but she was the one with the wheel in her hands now. “Hey, only because I’m a straight woman doesn’t mean I cannot appreciate another woman’s beauty.” She decided to go another step, to poke him virtually with her words. “And heck she is a hell of a beauty.”

Maybe it was the sadist in her that enjoyed his little squirm as much as she did enjoy Saturday afternoon walks with Daniel and some homemade tiramisu after.  
What she knew was – she wasn’t finished. If necessary she would hold him captured in that elevator for another hour.

“If I were you, I would plant those lips of mine on hers and show her what she means to me. Right now.”  
He chuckled at that. “Don’t let your husband hear that.”  
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t change the subject, Jethro.”  
“That the only reason you’re stopping that elevator?” He really had the audacity to step in closer. “To give me relationship advice?” He stretched his back which made him look just a little bigger as he already was, staring down at her. And she stared back.  
The times where that glint in his blue eyes had turned her soft were gone. All his magical tricks he usually used didn’t work with her, had never and especially wouldn’t ever again.  
As she didn’t say anything she caught the change of emotion in his eyes. Only then he seemed to realize she was actually serious. “I will not do that.”  
“Oh. And why?” She raised her eyebrow.  
It was subtle, but she saw it. A frown.  
The mighty Gibbs was in trouble and he she could see it. “Well because I don’t know how she feels about it. Cause we work together. Don’t wanna trap or force her.”  
She snorted and was well aware of the death glare he gave her. “So what. Better to silence it to death?” She stared at him in disbelieve, her voice getting an octave higher at the end of the sentence.  
As he didn’t answer, she signed. “Excuse my forwardness Jethro, but I think THIS woman will not let herself get trapped or forced by anyone.”

Another frown. She had no idea what to make of the expression on his face, but it for sure was very similar to some kind of protecting state. As if he’d actually get on her throat if she would go into this direction of topic again.  
She wanted to ask but something inside her – her version of a gut – told her not to.  
Jack’s personal life and personality didn’t concern her. She wasn’t here to shed light on her boyfriend’s woman of interest, she was here to … give him a shove. Or a kick in the ass if the soft version didn’t work out.

Jethro swallowed, clenched his jaw, and turned away from her.  
“Hey.” Hollis decided to go soft now. “You will never find out if you keep on living like this.” He still kept his gaze away from her, so she stepped closer and gently touched his arm. “She’s a good woman. I hope you know that.”  
A snort. “You’ve barely known her for what, three days?” He gave her that “I don’t believe ya”-look, but this time it was paired with pain.  
“And you’ve known her for almost three years and still don’t seem to realize it.” Her voice hadn’t only gone soothing, she was whispering almost.  
That was the “Amelia”-tone, as Daniel called it, since he had discovered her voice level changed almost every time she spoke to her stepdaughter.

They stood in silence for so long Hollis almost feared they really WOULD spent the night in this elevator. Until he finally, finally turned to look at her. Now his face was unreadable, like a mask, attentive blue eyes studying her.  
“Why do you care, Hollis?” It wasn’t aggressive or annoyed as before. Now he was simply … interested.  
_He really had to ask?!_  
She reciprocated the look. “Because I care about you Jethro. Just because we aren’t together anymore doesn’t mean your wellbeing isn’t my business anymore.”  
“Well, sorry to disappoint ya, but my personal life really isn’t.” The passive-aggressiveness came through again, and she knew she was too tired to fight against that tonight. “Also, what do you know about all of that?”  
“About what. Dating and actually talking to the one I like?” He neither shook his head nor nodded, but she knew the answer. “Oh a lot more than you do I guess.” She held up her left hand. “See that?” She tapped against her ring finger. “Still there. Still happy. I do know some things about what is important in a relationship.”  
Jethro’s lips twisted. “And what is that. Special Agent and relationship-expert Hollis Mann?”  
She knew he expected her to laugh, to smirk or roll her eyes at him, but all she did was keep a straight face. She looked him dead in the eye as she spoke the one word. The one word she would probably most likely tattoo if she would ever think about getting one.  
“Honesty.”  
The air seemed to grow thinner around them but not menacing. On the contrary, it almost felt calming. Jethro looked at her. Blinked. If he were another person, someone just a little more affectionate, she would have bet he’d sign and pull her into a hug any moment.  
Not Jethro Gibbs, though.  
Jethro Gibbs was silent as a grave, but again, his body language gave him away.  
He knew exactly about the weight and importance that word held for her, for them, for him. For him and Jack.  
She tightened the grip, then loosened it to slide down his arm and to give his hand a squeeze. “Think about it Jethro.” If they hadn’t had history she would have raised her hand and caress his cheek, but she knew this would turn their whole conversation into a different direction, and she didn’t want that.  
She kind of had him where she wanted him. Thoughtful, melancholic, and yeah, also a little sad.  
That stubborn marine needed to _feel a_ gain. And if she had to pull out knifes and slice his skin open up to his pounding heart to finally let the emotions pour out, so be it.  
“You know there is a saying – better to have lost and loved then never loved at all.” She literally felt her eyes turning into a deep, melancholic green, and the way he was looking back at her her instinct was right. “I think you know as much as I do how good that fits you.”

With that, she brought the elevator back to life.

*

She would give Jethro a chance. She wasn’t sure if her talk had rattled something within him, but she hoped.

Two days later – the day their case was going to end – still nothing had happened. Not the tiniest thing. Except of Jethro tensing up every single time he was in the same room with her and Jack.  
She would have never imagined she’s ever think of this guy to behave like a child, but apparently, she was wrong.  
And Hollis found herself turning angry. But she knew she shouldn’t throw the towel yet. Giving in had never been a quality of hers, it was endurance.

How could someone live like this? Why didn’t he even TRY to find some happiness again? She didn’t buy that “I couldn’t save the people I love and I deserve the pain”-shit anyways, at least she wouldn’t go on living with the thought that he used that as some kind of reason of behaving like a damn coward.  
Because yes, he was.

She didn’t know a lot about Jack, but she knew one thing. That woman _cared_ about the people around her, more than she probably would admit. She and Jethro had a connection that ran deeper than anything else, all that lacked was that little, simple confession …  
She had a slight idea about why Jack didn’t do anything either. Because she knew what happened to Jethro. She knew how he was when someone forced him to something he wasn’t ready to talk about. Her doings were actually quite reasonable.

She was protecting him.  
She didn’t want to drag him into something he himself thought he didn’t deserve.

Maybe he didn’t deserve Jack. Maybe Jack didn’t deserve him. Maybe they would end up streaming at each other and parting in anger.  
But there was also the other option. The option she could finally be the one to heal him.

Hollis had tried to be that person for him. She didn’t succeed. But Jack was oh so different from her. She was softer, calmer, less pushy. And she was honest. She was honest and sweet and she was a TALKER.  
Hollis had grown to really appreciate and like this woman, and all she wanted for her – and for Jethro – was to finally spill the tea and talk about it.

Endurance wasn’t her strength this time, though. She HAD to take that opportunity, even if she knew it held the risk of being thrown out, the risk of Jack hating her after it because she overstepped the boundaries of something that clearly wasn’t her concern.  
She didn’t care. As long as she could, maybe, make a difference, she didn’t care.

That was why Hollis Mann found herself taking the steps up to Jack’s office, nervousity all over her body, and she wondered when the hell she had become an _anxious person_.

She knocked at the door and at Jack’s lighthearted “Come in” she opened it.  
“Agent Sloane.”  
The blonde psychologist looked up, the usual friendly features, a smile on her lips.  
“I was wondering if you would like to take a walk and get some coffee before I head back to the DoD.” She smiled, hoping her plan would work.  
Jack bat her eyes in astonishment but then nodded. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” She took off her glasses and closed the folder she had been reading through before, then got up.  
The question of the “why me, why us” was visible in the air, but neither Jack dared to ask nor Hollis saw it as necessary to answer it. She’d know it the second she would refer the topic anyways.

Her opinion and own observation of Jack’s character hadn’t betrayed her. She was wonderful. And she was glad and relieved the other woman was the one to begin a conversation even before they stepped out the building.

They talked about the Army. A safe toil for both of them. A solid ground she could use to build up a conversation.  
The Army topic was followed by both of them realizing they were both Californians by heart, born beach and ocean lovers, which inevitably led to Jack asking her about Hawaii. The fact she knew about that made Hollis think that either she had done some private digging on her or the other agents – she guessed probably Bishop – told her about it.  
She wondered what else Jack knew about her. If she had any idea about Jethro and her _at all_. She almost hoped she did, not wanting to appear as some kind of potential threat …

They dragged their lunch a little, deciding to get something small to eat, but as they were exciting the coffee shop Hollis knew she had to get to the point now before they were too close to NCIS so Jack would have a way out.

She had never been one to subtly throw hints, so she just got it out after a simple transition being similar to “And now you’re here, working with a Navy guy.”  
As Jack nodded, she took her chance.

“You and Gibbs …”  
Three words. Three usually subtle but oh so meaningful words, and Jack smelled the rat immediately. “Pardon me?” She even gave her a stare, a blink of confusion and slight baffledness, as if she were actually astonished about Hollis’ forwardness.  
“There is obviously something.” She took a sip of her coffee, giving Jack a side glance.  
The other woman rolled her eyes. “Oh god don’t tell me they told you.”  
Hollis swallowed and now she was the one who didn’t catch up. “Who?”  
“You know who.” Jack gave her a look of annoyance. “Bishop, McGee and Torres. They are of firm conviction that we have a “thing”.” She was sure Jack would have used visible brackets with her hands if she weren’t busy crawling them around her coffee.  
“They didn’t say anything.” She paused. “Not literally.” Jack made a sound deep in her throat which had similarity to a snarl. “They didn’t have to. I have eyes, Agent Sloane.”  
Jack stopped in her tracks. Hollis did, too. She eyed her in interest, wondering what was going on in that mind right now.  
She had a horrible poker face. Jack’s whole body language literally screamed “I was caught”, and this time Hollis decided it was her time to talk.

***

Jack’s heart hammered. She should have known. She should have known Hollis Mann was sneaky and smart enough to drag her into a situation and conversation like this.

Oh, screw it. She was tired of lying, of pretending the “thing” wasn’t there. Hollis wasn’t an intern, after all she seemed to not be the one spreading rumors around, and well … she had to get it off her chest some when anyways.  
She had always thought it to be Grace. Grace or even Leon. Not Ellie, though. Ellie knew it already. Never ever would the thought have crossed her mind that it would be her love interests ex-girlfriend.

As she looked up she was confronted with Hollis light green, flaming eyes staring back at her. There wasn’t a hint of false cheekiness or some evil smirk, she was simply … waiting for her to talk.  
Well.  
Something told her she wouldn’t get herself out of that conversation as easy as it worked with the other three agents.  
She was tired of it anyways.

“And what DO you see?”  
Hollis’ upmoving eyebrows suggested she hadn’t expected that at all. “My honest observation?”  
Jack nodded. Suddenly she felt incredibly exposed.  
It wasn’t just her eyes that seemed like they could go through her like lazorblades. It felt as if Hollis could look right into her soul.  
But as she spoke her voice was softer than she would have ever imagined this woman could be.  
“Two people who feel with their whole heart. With feelings so strong it could cause energy for a high performance-battery but both of them too scared about making a mistake or disappointing the other one.”  
A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed, her heart beating nervously.  
“How did you … I mean … why do you think that? About him, I mean? Can’t believe he opens up to you.”  
The smile Hollis gave her was small but honest, and somehow melancholic. “He doesn’t have to. I can read him. I think … I always could.” She took a step closer towards her, voice turning into an almost whisper. “He is different around you, Jack.”  
Jack. The first time she had called her by her first name. And it did something to her.  
She shut her eyes and replayed all the moments, the touches, the smiles between them. The kiss on her cheek on Valentine’s Day had been the most recent, and the most meaningful. How could he NOT see it? And was she so wrong about … about all of it? Why did he do all those things? Definitely not just because they were friends.  
She looked up, only now realizing Hollis was now standing right next to her. An observation kicked in. “You really care a lot about him.”  
Hollis nodded, eyes still resting on her. “I do.” And then she surprised her as she reached out and placed her hand on Jack’s shoulder. “And I care about those people around him, too.”  
She bit her lip and hoped it was only her own imagination about a blurry sight. Hollis’ affection … it surprised her. “You’re a good woman, Jack. And he knows that. He just has some ... difficulties in showing it.”  
She took a deep breath and inhaled, felt the soft wind tickling her face and Hollis’ warm touch on her shoulder.  
Oh, she hoped. She really did.

They didn’t really speak on their way back, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t feel awkward or strained at all, and only as they stopped in front of the building Jack realized she felt more relieved and at easy than she had in the past months.  
“Thank you Hollis.” She turned around to face her and gave her a smile. “Thank you for … you know.”  
The older blonde smiled back, a knowing twinkle in her eyes. “Your secret is save with me, Jack. I promise.”

***

She wasn’t sure what force of nature led her to do what she did on that Friday midday. Maybe it was because she had finished earlier, and Daniel had a shift which probably wouldn’t end until ten pm, so she was bored.

She stopped right as if there were an invisible wall. She had to blink a view times to make herself believe that her eyes didn’t play tricks on her, that this, what she was seeing, was indeed reality.  
“Agent Bishop, Torres?” The two agents were standing near here and clearly in some deep conversation, but she didn’t care about interrupting them. Apparently, they didn’t either, simply looked up at her, wondering where the hell she suddenly was coming from.  
She nodded towards the bullpen. To the bullpen where Jack and Jethro were facing each other, talking, and being very close.  
And there was that expression on Jethro’s face she had only seen in some quiet moments, facial expression he rarely showed to anyone, especially not in public. But there he was, in public, and giving those looks to _Jack_.  
“What is happening here?”  
Torres was the first to speak. “Actually, we’re not sure. It almost seems …”  
“I mean, we want it to be true, but maybe it’s just our dying wish, and …”

In that moment Jack caught her eyes. She was smiling. It was a beaming, beautiful smile. And then she mouthed a “thank you”.  
And when Jethro looked at her, then at Jack, and started smirking and shook his head as if all of a sudden everything in the world made sense to him – she knew.

And she started smiling, too.

“You can stop hoping. It already happened.” She looked at the two young agents who were seemingly confused, now looking back and forth between her and Jethro and Jack, until Ellie Bishop’s eyes widened.  
“Do you mean …”  
Now Torres and her stared at her and she could literally see it fall from their eyes. Hollis wasn’t sure if it was the victorious smirk on her lips that made those two realize what she meant by that.  
“Those two finally killed the damn elephant.”


	2. Szenario 2 Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a person of Gibbs‘ past is a victim caused by a shooter and fights for her life, Gibbs is rattled and done with playing the hard ass guy. Jack tries to comfort him and they end up talking about the past – which inevitably leads to them talking about the future, too.

_She wasn’t invincible. She was just as fragile as everyone else, as fragile as a normal person._   
_He had treated her as someone he felt challenged with, who impressed him, who he liked having around … but not as the person whom he should have let in on his secrets._

_And that was what differed her to Jack. And his inner turmoil only proved to him that this, between them … it was there._

~

He should be used to surprises or horrific events, but still, whenever it hit one of the people he loved and cared for, it hit double.

It shouldn’t have happened. Ellie and him were at the DoD, dropping off Delilah.   
They were walking back as they heard it.   
Loud voices. Then a shot. Screams. People in panic.

He saw Bishop swirling around, already reaching for her gun out of instinct, and he was only short after.   
They turned around, his skilled eyes making out the situation.

A guy dressed in dark clothes holding a gun, aiming at nowhere particular – just random people he thought. He shot a second time, the bullet hit a glass window.   
Just then a woman came out from the crowd, suddenly and without warning, disarmed him.   
It went too fast for him to see her face.

Barely a second later another shot happened. But it wasn’t originating from the bad guy. It was coming from a young man, barely thirty, holding a gun in one hand and his badge in another. He was shivering – shivering as he saw what he had done.

The culprit stumbled and pressed his hand against a spot on his torso – then he fell to the ground.   
And the woman who had slapped the gun out of his hand barely two seconds ago slumped, too.

Finally they got to move.   
“NCIS, federal agents!”, Gibbs shouted, him and Bishop motioning everyone to stay down and back. As they made their way towards the scene, he found himself wondering why the woman- the one who had prevented anything else happening after that guy shot - wasn’t getting up.

He didn’t expect it.   
Not at all.   
As he saw her face he froze to the spot.   
Besides Delilah there was only one woman working at the DoD he knew. And he knew her very well, would recognize her under thousands.

Every inch of blood was drained out of him as he saw the reason why she wasn’t moving.  
It wasn’t just the shooters blood on her shirt. It was her own.   
A bare second later he heard her taking short, panicked breaths, green eyes moving around like crazy, her hand shivering as she tried to stop the bleeding.

Without hesitation he leaned forward and pulled up the hem of her shirt – only to expose a deep darkred wound which was bleeding. He pressed his hands on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.   
“Hollis, stay with me, okay?”   
She blinked, only seeming to realize who he was now. “Jethro?” Her lips curled into a dazed smile. “Hi.”   
Shit, was she already getting dizzy?   
He heard footsteps. Out of the corner of her eye he saw Ellie bending down.   
“Paramedics are on their way.” The question “How bad is it”, was written in her face. Pure concern and fear glimmering in her brown eyes.   
She could see it for herself. Shot wounds, wherever on ones torso, were always bad. Very bad.

“What … are you … doing here?” Hollis’ voice was breathless and it cracked at every single word.   
“Keep on fighting, not talking.” Gibbs clenched his jaw, fighting back the panic which started spreading in his body.   
“It’s okay, Hollis.” Ellie’s face was stern and concentrated as she knelt down opposite of him, touching her shoulder. “Just stay with us, stay awake, okay?”  
Ellie had never said her first name.   
“Funny. Years before … it was kinda … the opposite”, she said, still smiling.   
He wanted to yell at her to shut the hell up, but he didn’t. “Not funny, Holl”, he gritted his teeth. “Not funny at all.”

He didn’t count the seconds, nor the minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Everything around him seemed to blur, he barely noticed Ellie talking to the security and doing her job of keeping ogling bystanders away. He had told her to do something, since she’d turn crazy if she would keep hoovering beside him.   
What he would never admit was that it was actually himself who got crazy. He couldn’t quite remember the last time he had been so freaking scared.   
_Where was a surgeon-husband when he was needed_ he cursed internally.   
Maybe he would have done something else, thought of something, someone else to blame, if there hadnt been a change in the situation.   
Hollis took a raging, painful breath which sounded as if someone were strangling her. And then her eyes fluttered shut.   
Gibbs’ heart stopped. “Hollis, hey!” He touched her cheek, gently tried waking her up.   
She didn’t move, not even her lashes flickered. “You’re stronger than that!”  
Nothing.   
He leaned in, her lips close to his ear.   
He couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t feel her breath on his skin.   
_No.  
NO, not again.   
This can’t be happening.  
_“C’mon Holl, don’t give up!” He felt his own eyes water, the vision in front of him becoming blurred. He reached out and touch her throat. Waiting.   
“Her pulse is slowing down”, Ellie spoke the words.   
He swallowed and pressed his lips together, looking at her. Looking at the lifeless, pale woman he once had loved, still loved, lifeless on the ground. Platonic or not, all he suddenly wished was he could kiss her awake like Prince Phillip did with Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.   
He knew not even her husband, not even a kiss of true love, would be able to do the charm.   
He looked up at Bishop whose anxiety and fear was written in her face. “Gibbs, we needed that ambulance, if not …”

And just then, finally, he heard the sirens.

*

He wasn’t sure how he came back to NCIS. Ellie probably drove. The fact he didn’t remember didn’t mean anything good. He didn’t even know why he hadn’t told her to drive after that ambulance car and just leave him there, at the hospital, where he could be alone with his feelings, his thoughts, and his damn anxiety and fear.

His mind was constantly going back to Hollis. Images of her on the ground, mixing with his earliest memories of her, laughing, giving him that head tilt, that smirk. God, that gorgeous smile … her lighthearted and challenging nature. Their evenings in the basement. The way her eyes had lit up when she told him about their wedding.

It couldn’t be over. It couldn’t happen, not again, this was NOT going to happen.   
He had never been one to calm himself with mantras, but in his current situation he thought everything was better than replaying the sight of her blood pouring out of her body.

Torres and McGee were in the bullpen, as usual, and he barely noticed them snapping up and staring at him and Bishop.   
“Hey, were have you two …” Torres stopped mid sentence as he saw their faces. “What happened?” “Hollis got shot.” He rushed past them, every single syllable piercing through his heart. Speaking it out loud just made it a lot clearer for him …  
 _She was shot. In front of your eyes. Again. She was shot and now she’s fighting for her life and you, again, didn’t do anything to keep her save from it.  
_ He squinted his eyes and shook his head, well aware of three pairs of eyes staring holes into his back as he went to his desk to take out some stuff, his keys, his jacket, and something to read.   
“Your Hollis?”  
He turned around, eyes flashing as he stared at his oldest agent. “Yes McGee, MY HOLLIS!”   
He didn’t care about how he looked, about the fact that he was anything but put together, but screw it, he was done with playing down his feelings.   
McGee jumped for a moment and then froze, eyes wide and a facial expression he couldn’t describe, Torres stared, Bishop leaned against her desk and lowered her head as if she wanted nothing but disappear.   
Right, she had been there too. She didn’t really know Hollis but she knew how much she meant to _him_ , and … no, she wasn’t to be looked for now, she was okay.

The woman in the hospital wasn’t, the guilt inside him was nagging, like some parasite, whispering “It’s your fault” in a row, “it’s your fault, just like always, the people close to you get in trouble and you’re never here for them, always to late”.   
Oh all he wanted was to yell at the voice to shut the hell up.   
He didn’t, though. He kept his cool.

“I’m at the hospital. Call me when there’s a case coming up.” He gave his agents a look, one that clearly indicated a “Don’t you dare call me about the case, you can handle this yourself”.  
Because yeah, right now he cared about only one single person on the entire damn planet.

“Boss!”, McGee’s voice made him stop. Rolling his eyes he pressed, more slammed, the button of the elevator and turned around. “What?”   
There they were, his team, all standing side by side like some kind of unbreakable wall, McGee up straight staring back at him. “Keep us updated?”   
His anger flattened as he saw the genuine concern in his eyes. “Yes.”

As the elevator opened he disappeared in it, hoping everything was just a dream.   
With one exception. Jethro Gibbs wasn’t one to pray and he also knew that this wasn’t a dream.

***

The second Gibbs had disappeared, Nick and McGee’s eyes were on her, like lasers.   
“What happened? How is she?”, McGee asked.   
Ellie took a deep breath. “It’s … she disarmed a guy who started shooting, and then there was this other guy, a young agent in training, and he shot the suspect, but … the shot fired through.” She swallowed. She didn’t really know Hollis but it nagged at her, the visions of her on the ground haunting her. She could only imagine what Gibbs must be feeling. “The bullet hit her lower abdomen and … she was unconscious not even five minutes later.”  
“Oh shit.” Nick leaned against the table.   
“Oh my god.” McGee shook his head. “I always thought her to be … invincible. Strange, I know, but …”   
“So what should we do now?”, Torres asked, his face stern as usual whenever he was worried or thoughtful.   
“I don’t think there is anything we can do”, Ellie said, even though she didn’t like it. “The culprit’s in custody, it looked as bad for him as for Hollis, so …” Her shoulders slumped. “I guess we cant do anything than wait. And pray.”   
“If he loses her too … I don’t know what will happen then.” McGee spoke it like a death sentence, and the pain behind his words cut like a knife.   
Ellie bit her lip and shook her head. “He has lost so many he loved ... I still remember him after Diane’s death.”  
“Oh don’t remind me of that.” McGee closed his eyes.   
“Hey, I know this sounds insensitive, but … how close were they?” Nick slowly tested the waters. “Just so I can … you know, get a clearer picture here.”  
“Well, you know the main story. After she came back, I think they talked it out. At least it felt a lot less strained the next time she worked with us.” McGee shrugged. “I don’t know. All that I think is that these two will always have a special bond, and … Gibbs does still love her, and Hollis too, in a different way of course.”

They fell in silence.   
Even though inside Ellie, there was a hurricane blowing.   
He couldn’t lose her. That couldn’t happen. She HAD to survive.

“Hey you guys, where is Gibbs?”   
She jolted at the voice and looked up, the two men facing her turned around. Jack’s cheerful smile froze and she saw the tension immediately. “Okay, what is going on here?”  
Ellie already prepared herself to replay the moments one more time as Nick blurted out: “There was a shooter at the DoD and someone close to Gibbs got shot.”   
_Nicely done, Torres,_ she mumbled in her mind. Softness had never been a big strength of his, but now she didn’t even really care.   
Apparently, Jack didn’t either. Her face fell. “Oh my god.” Her eyes darted around as if a thousand thoughts were rushing through her mind right now. “Where is he? And how is he? Both of them, I mean?”   
“He’s at the hospital”, McGee now cut in. “He said he doesn’t want to be disturbed.”   
Jack tilted her head. “Did he say that or that the case could wait?”   
“The latter.” Finally, Ellie found her voice again.   
Jack’s brown eyes were flaming as she gave them a small nod. “Well one thing is for sure. He shouldn’t be there alone.”

***

The drive to the hospital had cleared his mind, forced him to think about something else. Nevertheless, the second he stepped into the hospital the smells reminded him about why he was here, what was happening, and just brought back very bad memories in general.   
He was well aware that he wasn’t family and the chance of the doctors keeping him updated was very small, but he wanted to be there when she woke up, needed to be there.   
**_If_** _she woke up_ , the dark part in his mind cut in.   
He clenched his jaw and tried not to think about that.

He told the woman at the entrance who he was – a friend and the one who tried to stabilize her until the medics took her. Damn, why couldn’t he remember her husband’s name? Where was the guy, by the way? He should be there, just in case if …

“Gibbs?”  
The voice made him turn around. He hadn’t been able to sit down for longer than five minutes, and the other people waiting – which weren’t a lot – probably already hated him. So he had been pacing up and down the hallway for the past minutes.   
He wondered why the heck he was even surprised.   
And more over it surprised him how just the sight of her could make him feel so much better, lighter, happier even in a situation like this.   
Well, he shouldn’t be surprised anymore.

“What are you doing here?” He knew the question was stupid, but he didn’t care. He had to keep his mind from playing through horror scenarios, and focusing on her was the best option he had.   
Not that he minded looking at her, not at all.   
“Ellie told me what happened.” Jack stopped shortly before him, her eyes darting over his features as if she were trying to read him. “How are you doing?” Her voice was like a soft breeze in spring, tingling over his skin, caressing it, as if it had some healing power within that made him feel better in an instant.   
He grunted. “How do you think I am?”  
She didn’t hold him accountable for his gruffness, as she never did. All she did was step closer and giving him a small nod.   
“Come on, let’s grab some coffee.” Without waiting for him to answer she slipped her hand through his arm and guided him.

“Who is it?” She asked the question after they had both steaming cups in their hands and returned to the chairs, but for once he didn’t even feel like drinking it. His mind was spinning, spinning so fast and memories and the present crushing over him so he wasn’t even sure WHAT exactly he was thinking.   
But her words snapped him back to reality and he stared at her, utterly surprised. “You don’t even know?”  
She shook her head. “No. All I know is it’s someone from the DoD, and … important to you.”   
He closed his eyes and cleared his throat.   
“Her name is Hollis. We met years ago on a case. Army versus Navy.”  
Jack tensed. She sat up straight, he saw her swallow, and couldn’t help but notice the chance of behavior.   
“Hollis Mann?”  
He nodded. Why he didn’t tell her more he didn’t know.   
“Oh Gibbs.” Her voice was full of sympathy, so much it ached. “I’m so sorry.”   
Now he d _id_ wonder how much she knew, _if_ she knew. She probably did … it would be slightly unusual for his agents to not mention “Hollis Mann” and “ex-girlfriend” in one sentence.   
It would at least explain the expression on her face and the tone in her voice.

“She was smiling.” He shook his head like a maniac while he stared at the ground.   
“Hm?”  
“All she did was smile when I told her to keep breathing.” He released a heavy, tormented sign. “She didn’t even seem scared.”   
He squeezed his eyes shut, interlaced his fingers, freed them again, leaned back, exhaled. The coffee he had emptied with a few swallows.   
He was fully aware of Jack watching him closely but this time that thought didn’t give him butterflies, not as usual.   
Nothing about this was usual. They shouldn’t be here, both of them. The three of them.

“Wanna talk about her?”  
He slowly turned his head. Jack’s dark eyes were resting on him, a small smile on her lips, even though there wasn’t even a hint of cheerfulness. Not even she could manage herself to be.   
He raised his eyebrow. “Bout her or us?”  
Jack shrugged. “Whatever you want. Whatever you need. Anything.”

He stilled for a moment. Not that he hadn’t done that in the past ten minutes.   
“She’s so bad at handcrafting”, he then got out and this time, Jack chuckled.   
“That’s all?” She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. She was wearing a dark pant suit, darkblue, a white blouse under it and her crème colored heels. “Tell me about it.”   
He refused his eyes from her foot which was now dangerously close to his leg and instead focused on the question. Of the other blonde that had stolen his heart in the past, maybe still owned a little one. He knew she’d never give it back, and being honest with himself, he also wanted her to keep it. His heart was saver with her then it could ever be with him.   
“She tricked me into giving her baseball lessons and she ended up being better than me.”   
A wide grin spread on Jack’s face. “Wow. Sounds like an awesome one.”   
“She was.”  
“Is, Gibbs. IS.” She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it. “Remember? Think positive.”   
He shook his head. “I told her staying close would be dangerous for her. She said she could take care of herself.”   
“That shooting had nothing to do with you.” Jack’s brown eyes were piercing into his. “YOU didn’t shoot her. It was that agent who only wanted to help. If anyone needs to have a bad conscious, it’s him.”  
Yeah, right.   
He knew. The rational part of his brain knew, and it also wanted to yell in his face that next time he should maybe wait for backup and not just shoot when there was someone in close range with the one he was targeting …   
But he knew that wouldn’t help anyone, not him, not the poor, stupid youngster who probably paced around back and forth now wondering why the hell he did what he did, and especially it didn’t help Hollis. As he turned away, not able to look at Jack any longer, she grabbed his arm. Now he just HAD to look at her.   
She had that something about her, that superpower than one had to meet her eyes, even if one didn’t want. Just as Hollis.   
With one difference – he knew what he felt for Hollis. And he wasn’t at all sure about what this, between him and the woman now sitting in front of him, was to be described. “You were there for her when she needed you. You didn’t leave her there, and she had someone she could trust. That’s the important thing.”

Gibbs signed and rested his elbows on his thighs.   
She was right. As almost always, she was right.

“She doesn’t deserve this.” The words were muttered silently under his breath.   
“That’s sadly not in our hands.” Jack’s soothing tone was back but this time it just made him snort.   
“What. So you’re saying this is some kind of “god’s plan” and everything happens for a reason?” He turned to stare at her but hadn’t been prepared for her to give him a blazing look back.   
“I get that you’re scared and worried, but there is no reason to snap at me.”  
He swallowed, followed every perfect line on her face.   
“Sorry.”  
Jack bat her lashes. One, two, three. “Did you just apologize for me?”  
He actually, really had to smile about that. She always made him smile.   
Mostly.   
“Might need to burn that rule, too, hu”, she stated.   
He shrugged. “Hollis said she thinks it takes strength to apologize.”  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jack lean back into the chair, smiling and nodding. “Smart woman. I’m looking forward to meet her.”

His eyes fell shut as another wave of pain came over him.

_How could she be so calm about this? How could she talk about the future when the line was so thin?_

“Jack, what if …”  
“Don’t think about that.” She shook her head, but this time her soft voice didn’t help him.   
“It was a damn stomach shot. Not even someone as stubborn as her …”  
“You remember what I told you when we called in Phineas’ aunt and uncle?” She gave him three seconds to remember. “Miracles happen.” Something in the tone of her voice caused him to raise his head. Jack’s eyes were sparkling like pure, deep brown marbles.   
Goddamn she was beautiful. And so much more than just that.   
“After everything all of you told me, Gibbs, I think she might be one of the women I have ever heard of.”  
He scrunched his nose. “They talked to ya ‘bout Hollis?”  
She shrugged and smirked. “They may have let something slip. They couldn’t have let me in the shadows without telling me you dated an Army woman once.”

_He wouldn’t have a problem dating another army woman …_

“I’m glad you’re here”, he said instead.   
FINALLY he said it.   
And the way Jack looked back at him was worth it all. “Always, Gibbs.” She reached out and took his hand, and this time, he squeezed it tight. “Whenever you need me.”

…

He had no idea how long they were sitting there. At some point they got up to get him another coffee and to pick up something small to snack for Jack. Then they went back to their chairs, and he caught Jack typing on her phone.

McGee.   
He couldn’t read the message but he didn’t have to anyways. It was kinda nice how they cared for her, and for him and his sanity. Usually he hated being the topic of conversations like this, but now he didn’t really mind at all. He liked that they didn’t treat Hollis as “the one who broke bosses’ heart” but as a good colleague from the past.   
Nevertheless he couldn’t help it.   
“Tell McGee if he wants or needs to do something, he should check where the hell her damn husband is, we’ve been sitting here for hours and he still hasn’t shown up.”   
Jack’s thumb stilled, hoovering over the display. Then she turned it off and turned around to face him. Again.   
“I know what you’re doing.”   
He scrunched his face. “What?”   
Jack’s face didn’t chance. “You care about her, and the fact that he isn’t here makes you feel like he’s an asshole not being good enough for her.”   
“Oh do I?”   
“Gibbs.” She tilted her head and gave him that goddamn teasing smirk, even though her eyes told a very different story. “I know you. And I know how you behave when you think someone doesn’t deserve the person they are close to.”   
“Well, Hollis isn’t just “a person”, he blurted out before he could think it through.

Jack withdrew her hand and sat up straight. She stared at him with a look on her face he hadn’t seen in weeks.   
Disappointment.   
And … something else he couldn’t picture but only hoped he wasn’t right with his guess.   
All he knew was her whole appearance changed within seconds, and he didn’t like it at all.

“You know, we do not need you to protect us.” Her voice had gone cold as ice and her eyes … he absolutely didn’t like what he saw there. He could always read her. And her emotions, everything, it was always written in those deep brown ones.   
She was hurt, upset and there was a little flash of anger shining through.   
He had to treat carefully.

“What are you implying Jack?”  
She rolled his eyes. “This, what you’re doing, what you just said, feels similar to that conversation we had when I told you about my … Faith’s other biological 50 percent.”

“I know why you do what you do, Gibbs. You want to protect the people close to you, but … this is not the right way.”  
“Well then. What is the right way?” He stared into her eyes, finally not scared enough she could see through all his layers, because to hell with it, she could do it anyways.   
And she DID look back, the aggressiveness fading from her face, smoothening her forehead, and all that was left was always present, always encouraging and softly supporting Jack Sloane.

“Oh Gibbs …”, she whispered, shaking her head.   
He was sure she wanted to say something more, but he didn’t push her. He had no right to.

…

“Agent Gibbs?”   
He had no idea how much time had gone by but as a non-familiar, female voice called his name, he snapped up.   
A nurse was approaching them, an unreadable expression on her face.

His heart began pounding like crazy and a million emotions stumbled through him as he got up, nodding.   
“I know you’re not family but you herself have quite a record here, so I’ll bend some rules and tell you nevertheless”, the nurse said as she was in ear sight.   
“Tell me she’s okay.” This time, the calming touch of Jack’s hand didn’t help.   
The woman smiled. A simple, little smile and he knew it, he just knew it.   
“She’s a fighter, Agent Gibbs. We have lost many patients due to wounds like this. But … she doesn’t want to go.”   
He felt like crying and smiling and a thousand emotions at once, but all he did was nod, not able to sort all these feelings out. “That’s her. Wouldn’t have expected anything else.”   
“So.” The nurse took the folder she had been carrying into her right hand. “Since he will take a while to get here … do you wanna see her?”  
Since he stood there like a statue Jack next to him chuckled and said “I’m sure this one here would be in front of her door now if he only knew the room number.”   
“Yes.” The nurse smirked. “I prepared for that.” She gave him a nod and turned to leave, gestured him to follow.   
The second he took a step he felt Jack’s grip loosen and he stopped, squeezed her hand right back. He shared a look with her and she blinked in surprise. For the first time in hours he felt like smiling. He tucked at her hand and finally she understood.

“We have reached Doctor Howard, her husband. He’s in Houston for a conference, takes a flight as soon as possible.”   
Jack nudged his arm and gave him a look which he could only describe as some kind of “See. I told you. You should be ashamed of yourself”.   
He kinda should be.

They walked in silence. Suddenly, for the first time, Gibbs realized the strange feeling all over his body.   
Jack was still holding his hand, and he was still holding hers.   
She had stayed with him this whole time and he never, not even a second, had thought about telling her to leave, to go home, to spend her evening somewhere nicer, because he wanted her to be there with him, because he NEEDED her.   
And Jack, as usual, knew that. She came here alone and respected the fact that he didn’t want anyone of his agents to see him like this.   
He appreciated her more than anything in this moment, and he knew he finally had to show her that.

The nurse left them alone in front of the door and his nervousness kicked back in. Jack let go of his hand and waited, stood there as a silent comfort, as his touchstone.   
Actually, she was so much more than just that. During the last weeks, months, and years she had become essential, for all of them – but mostly for him.

He collected himself and opened the door.   
He was sick of visiting friends, colleagues, simply people he cared about in hospitals. Something about Jack’s sudden silence and her giving him space, mentally as well as physically, told him she knew.

As the nurse had told them on the way Hollis was still non-responsive but stable. Nobody knew when she’d wake up though, and maybe that was the fact that made his heart cramp as he saw there, lying in that hospital bed.   
She wasn’t invincible. She was just as fragile as everyone else, as fragile as a normal person.   
He didn’t treat her as a woman he loved, he now realized. He had treated her as someone he felt challenged with, who impressed him, who he liked having around … but not as the person whom he should have let in on his secrets.

And that was what differed her to Jack. Jack knew … everything. He had told her without second thoughts, and he still wasn’t sure why.

It was weird.   
Being in the same room with both of them. Not necessarily uncomfortable, but definitely a really unusual atmosphere. And his inner turmoil only proved to him that this, between Jack and him … it was there.

Jack came up next to him and followed his eyes. “The mighty Hollis Mann.” He heard the smile out of her voice and it felt like a good sign. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”   
Gibbs chuckled next to her and she gave him a look. “We never know how much she hears.”   
After another minute of silence he stepped closer. The pictures of her on the ground, bleeding, fighting for her life haunted him once again. Her eyes were still shut, but she was okay.   
She was alive.   
“She saved my life.” He hated how his voice cracked. “Years ago, she was there to save me. And I … I couldn’t.”   
He heard Jack move beside him. “She’s alive, right? So you DID save her. You didn’t prevent it, but there was also no way you could have done that.”  
Gibbs shook his head. “I’m sorry, Hol.” He reached out and put a loose strand of hair out of her face. She was cold. He didn’t remember her skin feeling like that.

“Hey.” Jack softly touched his arm. “Do you want to be alone with her?”  
Her sympathy and devotion warmed him from head to toe. He realized all he wanted to do was lean against her shoulder and let all the damn emotions pour out of him, every single one of these bad, poisons memories.   
“No”, he said without taking his eyes off Hollis.   
“Okay.” She nodded.   
He didn’t move while Jack pulled two chairs closer so they could sit down, him at Hollis’ shoulder, herself farther away.

They didn’t speak another word but it didn’t matter. The silence was somehow comforting. Knowing that she was here, with him, and he didn’t have to fight the monsters and the silence alone, made it less … back-breaking.   
Some minutes into the silence he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye – Jack reaching out, placing her hand on where Hollis’ ankle was, giving it a gentle, soft squeeze. “You made it, Hollis. Thanks for proving it.” Her lips twisted. “Army-strong.”

He didn’t know why. But in this moment, in all these moments … he knew what he felt for her was, probably, very highly possibly … love.

…

They ordered themselves a Pizza. Well, Jack did because she knew they both had to eat something even though it was past 10 o’clock. He wondered what strings she had pulled to find a delivery service who would bring them a pizza at 10.20 pm.

They ate in silence. The pizza was good, giving the circumstances. It would taste better in his basement, with a bourbon or a bear, though.

…

At way past 11 Jack’s words disturbed the silence.   
“Excuse my words, but you look miserable.”   
He snorted. “Am not more miserable than her.” He grabbed the last slice of pizza she had left for him, even though he wasn’t hungry.   
Of course he couldn’t trick her. She eyed him suspiciously and something told him that this time, she would be the one to win.   
“Come on, Jethro.” She padded his knee. “Take a break. Go home and sleep some hours.”

_Jethro.  
For the first time she called him Jethro. _

“You can’t sleep in that chair. You’ll hate yourself in the morning. And just imagine Hollis finding out about it. I’m sure you don’t want her to feel responsible for that.”   
He made a noise and ignored the butterflies in his stomach still fluttering due to her speaking his name. “Oh she wouldn’t. She’d just mock me with that for the rest of my life.”   
Jack chuckled. “I’m getting a clearer picture of her with every ongoing second.”   
He shook his head. “I don’t want her to be alone.”   
Jack nodded. “I understand that. She won’t be.”   
He raised his eyebrow, confused. “Her husband won’t be here in sooner than four hours, so …” The sentence died on his tongue as he saw the look on her face.   
He blinked.   
After everything she had done, after everything they shared, he had thought she couldn’t surprise him anymore. Oh he was wrong.   
“You don’t even know her.”   
A thoughtful look crept over her features. “Somehow I feel I do.” She turned back to watch her fellow soldier, the other army woman. He opened his mouth and she cut him off. “Don’t even get started”, she said and held up her hand. “I survived nine months in the afghan desert, so I can handle a night on a hospital chair.”  
He wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be funny, but nevertheless … she won. Because he knew she was right, as always, and he DID feel like crap.

Gathering his jacket and other stuff, he allowed himself to press a kiss on Hollis’ forehead.   
_She’ll watch over you_ , he sent to her in thoughts because he wouldn’t admit speaking to spirits, even though he did. Diane probably laughed at him right now.   
Walking past her he placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder and enjoyed the comforting warmth his fingers immediately absorbed. “I’ll ask one of the nurses to get you a blanket or something else to get comfortable.” That was the most he could do.   
Before he could withdraw, Jack’s hand was on his and she squeezed it. “Thank you.”   
Looking down at her, into her eyes, a smile dancing on her lips, he shook his head.   
“No, Jack. Thank YOU.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who read Part 1 :) I decided to cut it down into two chapters since it would have turned out tooo long, so … second part is coming soon !


	3. Szenario 2 part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here' s the Sequel ...

The first thing she felt was a dulled, weird and stinging pain in her lower abdomen, somewhere close where her cecum had been seventeen years ago. Only that it hurt much more and felt like it was spread out across her torso.

Her eyes were heavy like cement as she forced herself to open them.   
The first thing she saw was … a ceiling, probably white, but it was dim so she wasn’t sure about the color. And the smell around her was … familiar and yet strange. She moved an inch and winched in pain as a lightning of fire burst through her body, only slowly subsiding.  
The next thing she felt was that there was something on her hand, no, in her hand …

“Welcome back, soldier.”  
The voice made her turn her head and she blinked in surprise.   
She was still dizzy and she knew then what it was – painkillers for whatever happened but apparently it was necessary – but still she was sure that she didn’t know the woman sitting on a chair next to her bed. A beautiful blonde with warm, brown eyes and an uplifting, friendly smile. She seemed way to cheerful and radiating with sunny energy for this place – not that Hollis minded.

“Who’re you?”, she asked, hating the way her voice sounded slurred as if she had just been drinking a whole bottle of wine. It caused her some effort to keep her eyes locked on the woman when she spoke in a soft, calming tone.   
“I’m Jacqueline Sloane. I work with Gibbs.”   
Lately now she was awake as if the name had startled her.   
“Where … Jethro’s here?” She blinked in confusion. “Why?”   
“He would still be here, has left a view hours ago.” Jacqueline didn’t seem to mind her behavior and her confusion, and she was glad for that. That was one of the reasons she hated it when people visited her in the hospital or whenever she was sick – she felt helpless, horrible and painkillers made her do and say weird things sometimes.   
“I send him home about ...” She glanced at her phone. “Seven hours ago.”  
Hollis closed her eyes, opened them again, took a deep breath and felt the pain return. “How’d you manage that?”   
“Oh, I have my methods.” The woman smirked.   
Hollis turned her head so she could look outside the window. It was dark, black almost.   
“What time is it?”, she asked, not even trying to sound normally.   
“Shortly before six in the morning.”   
“Oh my god.” She grumbled and lifted her hand to rub her forehead. “What happened?”  
“Don’t you want him to tell you?”  
She opened one eye to glance at the stranger. “I’d like to hear the whole story. Not cut down into one sentence.” That made the woman grin. She was gorgeous.   
“Point taken.”

She told her what she knew, what the team had told her over the phone. Hollis listened to her words, the memories slowly creeping back into her mind.   
“That explains why everything hurts so freaking much.” She squinted her eyes. “Is everyone okay?”   
“I don’t know for sure, to be honest. But Gibbs and Ellie didn’t say anything about anyone else getting hurt, so I’m positive that everyone is okay. Despite the shooter I guess. Don’t know anything about him, though. And Gibbs didn’t care.”   
Hollis made a noise, wanted it to sound like a laughter, but she wasn’t sure if it came across as that.   
“You’re a hero. Without you he would have probably opened a fire.”  
“I just did what I had to do.”   
“Yeah.” Nodding, Jack smiled. This we’ll protect.”  
That caught her attention, again.   
“There a reason you’re quoting army mottos?”   
“Yep”, Jack said. “Was army, too. Not nearly as high ranked as you, though.”   
“An Army-woman working at NCIS?” She snorted. “What did you do that lead you there?”   
Jack took an audible breath. “I … I owed someone a favor.”   
“Hm. Must have a been a big one.” She wasn’t sure why or if it was just her imagination but it seemed as if Jack’s eyes darkened.   
There was a story behind that, but she wouldn’t ask. Not now, at least.

So she focused on something else – as a thought came into her mind. “Daniel will surely not like that I am now one of his colleagues’ patient. I’m sure this will be the hospital’s new running gag.”   
Jack tilted her head. “Daniel?”   
“My husband. He works here.” She groaned. “He always makes jokes and compares me with other patients, wondering what kind I would be. Now he can just ask.”   
Jacqueline’s lips twisted. “You know, considering the fact you’ve gotten shot a few hours ago you are pretty talkative.”  
Hollis shrugged. “Talking helps. Clears the conscience and helps the body forget the pain.”   
She saw Jacqueline arc an eyebrow. “You sure YOU dated GIBBS?”  
Now she really had to chuckle. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”   
“Not really”, Jacqueline smiled. “I can see why he liked you. Still does.”   
With a sign she relaxed back into the pillows. She hated hospital pillows. “You talked about me?”   
“The team might have mentioned sometimes.”   
“McGee?”, she asked.   
“Also. But mostly Ellie.”  
“How are they?”, she decided to ask because suddenly she really cared.   
“I don’t know how much you know, but Tim and his wife have two kids.”   
“Aw. They do?” She forced herself to look at Jack now. She smiled happily. “That’s wonderful. What are their names?”  
“Morgan and Johnny. Twins.”   
“Tell him my congrats.”   
“Oh you can do that yourself.” Sloane started typing on her phone, then pressed her thumb on the display and got up.   
“Hey McGee, I know you’ll listen to this only in an hour, but there is someone who’s got something to say to you.” She held her phone closer and Hollis smirked as she saw the voice recording option on Whatsapp blinking.   
“My congratulations on your family, Agent McGee. I’m really happy for you!”  
A big grin on her lips Jack leaned back on the chair and spoke: “So, as you heard, problem child is awake and she’s doing pretty good considering the circumstances. You can stop worrying.” She stilled after that, a thought crossing her mind. “This whole thing reminds me that …” She got up again. “I should call someone. Promised him to do so when you wake up.”   
She knew who she was talking about immediately.   
“Agent Sloane?” The woman stopped and turned around. Hollis smiled at her. “Thank you.”   
Jack reciprocated. “Always. And please, call me Jack.”

***

He loved her voice. He loved everything about her, and he wondered how the hell it had taken him so long to finally admit it to himself.   
But as he heard her voice telling him those two words, without anything else, he loved her even more.

“She’s awake.”

That was all. He didn’t say anything else, nor did she. She knew more wouldn’t be necessary, and that was another aspect of hers he loved.

He had to tell her.   
Soon.   
Right after he had seen with his own eyes his best female friend was okay.

*

Even in an hospital bed, with a shot wound and painkillers making her dizzy Hollis Mann still exhuded strength and that bold attitude. He couldn’t help but smirk at that. Some things never changed.

“Guess we’re even now. About the life saving thing.” She lifted her hand and made circling moves. “Except that you didn’t spare me a bullet wound and some massive pain.”   
“You didn’t die. That should be enough for you.” Jet stepped closer.  
“Yeah.” Hollis smiled lazily. “It is.”   
  


***

She was happy to see him. She really was. He seemed to wait until her eyes were open again and resting on his. What she saw warmed and hurt her all the same.   
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” His voice was silent. Grabbing her hand, he squeezed it. “I almost watched you die.”   
She curled her fingers around his, the touch warming her. “Luckily I didn’t die in your arms tonight.”   
“You became like DiNozzo in the last three years?”, he chuckled.   
“It’s a prominent song”, she said in defense.   
“Doesn’t make it less dramatic.”   
“Oh, don’t you tell me.” She shifted and hissed at the pain and his hand was on her hip immediately.   
“Stop. Don’t move. You need anything? Should I call the nurse?”  
“When did you get so attentive?” She turned to Jack. “You brainwashed him or what?”  
Jack smirked. “He’s loosening a bit. I guess the walls are starting to crumble.”   
“Jack’s a shrink”, Jethro said. “Don’t know what tricks she’s playin’ all the time.”   
Jack pointed at him. “Is that more how you know him?”  
“Oh yes.” Hollis chuckled only to regret it the next moment. Jethro looked at Jack, Jack looked back at him.   
And Hollis sensed something. For the first time since Jethro was here she looked at the other woman. And she knew it in an instant. THAT was the reason she was here. THAT was the reason she had called him.   
She found herself smirking and then pointed at Gibbs while she spoke to Jack. “I don’t know what you’ve done to this one, but it feels like he had spoken more than in the last years.”

The two shared another look.   
Oh there was A LOT unsaid going on between these two. She would have loved to bluntly address it if she weren’t so damn exhausted.

“Do you two need anything?” Jack’s voice cut through the silence. Jethro opened his mouth. “Except of coffee”, Jack cut him off. He closed his mouth – and smiled.   
The wheels in Hollis’ brain were rotating but she didn’t get to do or say anything because Jack’s eyes were on her a second later.   
“I’d say a bowl of ice cream but I guess that option isn’t available.”   
Jack smiled and it seemed as if the whole room was lighting up. “Let me see what I can do. Any flavor wishes?”  
“Oh I don’t care.”   
She didn’t miss the split second in which Jack’s hand brushed along his shoulder as she walked by. “I’ll be right back.”

As the door fell close behind her, Jethro turned back towards her. She could see the question in his eyes.   
“Has always been a weakness of mine. I don’t know, I always want ice cream when I’m in a hospital. Even if it’s early in the morning.”   
He chuckled.   
“What”, she said without opening her eyes, relaxing back into the cushions.   
“Anything else about you I should know?”  
“You could have known it. If we would have spent more time together.”  
She could feel the change in the temperature even without even looking at him, but then she opened her eyes. “Sorry. That was insensitive.”  
He shrugged. “You’re the one who got shot. Just get it out.”   
“You mean as long as I get the chance to?”, she mumbled.   
Another shrug and that smirk, that goddam handsome smirk.   
“You giving me the chance to spill it as long as I’m vulnerable?”   
The smirk turned into a grin.   
Hollis snorted. “How noble.”   
And then he laughed. He really actually laughed.

“I hope you are going to take the chance somewhen and ask her out”, she said all of a sudden. He tilted his head in question.   
She rolled her eyes. Seriously, he really thought he could trick her? “Oh come on. I may be injured, but my eyes are still working.”   
It was amusing how he didn’t even ask her how she knew.   
“Don’t let her go, Jethro. Promise me, okay?”   
A shadow crept over his features. “She’s never been mine, so …” The sound of the door opening cut him off. Hollis bit back a laugh at the way he seemed to jump, as if he had just gotten caught.   
“They didn’t have ice cream at the moment, but I found some blueberries.” With that Jack stepped on her right side and handed her a little box.   
Hollis signed. “You are an angel, Jack Sloane. I could die for these. How did you know?”  
Smiling, Jack opened the lid and placed it into her hand.   
“I didn’t. Just thought I’d eat them in case you didn’t want them.” She shrugged. “We can also share.”  
“I’d like that. I mean, we can share a bag of blueberries since we share a guy.” She put a berry in her mouth. “Or shared, in my case.”

She was overly aware of the glaring, threatening look Jethro gave her and the confused, almost caught-in-the-act-one settling in on Jack’s.   
“Excuse me?”   
Oh lately now she had her proof. Satisfied with that, Hollis took another berry and, instead of answering, held the box out for her to grab one. “We two should take some time to talk.”  
“Seriously?”, Jethro asked. She gave him a lazy slap with her free hand. “Not everything’s about you, Gunny. Two women have more important stuff to talk about than ex-boyfriends and current ones.”   
Now, Jack shook her head. “We are not … I mean …” The sentence died off her lips and for a moment she looked as if she wanted to get out of her.   
“Don’t mind her, Jack. She hallucinates whenever she’s on drugs.”

Her hand stilled and now it was her to stare at him with a murderous look. Now wonder that guy couldn’t keep a single one of his women with a choice of words like that. She tried to ignore the hurt look on Jack’s face as she gently took a blueberry, turning slightly aware from them.   
Hollis contemplated about what she could say to ease the tension, if she should send Jethro out and have a heart-to-heart talk with Jack even though she felt the exhaustion settling back in, if she should apologize … as a knock at the door interrupted her inner thoughts.

She blinked in astonishment and for a moment forgot all pain. “What are you doing here?”   
“Do you really think I care about a damn lecture and workshop when I get the message that my wife had just gotten shot?” He rushed towards her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her eyes fell shut and she felt the claw around her heart returning, thinking about how close she had been to losing him.   
Oh how glad she was for him to be here.   
He signed before he pulled back and stroke her cheek. “How are you, Darling?” His warm eyes were full of concern.   
“I’m good. Really. Just exhausted.”   
A small smile tucked at his lips but she knew he wasn’t completely convinced.   
“Well, you for sure have the best partner possible to take care of you in a situation like this.” Jack’s voice travelled over to them and Daniel looked up, seeming as if he hadn’t even realized the two standing there.   
She took the chance to introduce them. “These are Agent Jethro Gibbs and Agent Jacqueline Sloane. You two, my husband Daniel Howard.”   
Something told her Jethro didn’t want Daniel to know that it was actually him who had tried to hep her from dying from blood loss, so she kept silent about that.

“Thank you for keeping an eye on her.” As he moved to shake Jethro’s hand, he held it a little longer and stilled. “Jethro Gibbs?”  
She wasn’t sure how to interpret the look on Jethro’s face – uneasiness or interest since this was the first time he was actually meeting him – but he was definitely not as amused and at ease as before. “Guess you must have heard from me.”   
Daniel exchanged looks between him and her. “From time to time.”   
Jack was the only one who seemed to find some amusement in this, and she really, really couldn’t blame her. She had always planned to introduce these two to each other, just never would have let the thought cross her mind that it would end up like this.   
“It’s nice to meet you.” Daniel gave Jack a smile, too. “Both of you.”

Hollis would have absolutely loved to watch these three indulge into a conversation and play the interested, silent listener, but she realized she was not only getting more and more tired, also the painkillers started to fade, and it was only a matter of time until her attentive husband and doctor would notice.

“I’m I right with my assumption that no one called Jake and Amelia?”, she decided to stir the moment around.   
Daniel shook his head, his hand moving back to cover hers.   
“Thank god.” She signed. “Can’t have even more people being worried about me.”   
“Well, some when they need to know and will notice. Especially in the summer.”   
She made a grimace. “Yeah. That’s gonna leave a nasty scar.”   
“Scars aren’t anything bad”, Jethro suddenly said. But right after giving her a smile she saw how he was looking at Jack.

Hollis mentally rolled her eyes. Oh for god’s sake. The tension between those two was even more pent up than that of a couple in a cheesy love romance.

“I guess we might leave you two on your own now.” Jack cleared her throat and started making small, fidgeting moves, clearly indicating that she was getting nervous.   
Jethro nodded and grabbed his coat.   
“Take care, ‘kay?”, he whispered into her ear.   
She squeezed his hand, not half as uncomfortable doing that in Daniel’s presence than he was. “I will. And thank you. Both of you.”   
Jethro nodded and stepped back, leaving Jack to say goodbye.   
“We will have a nice chat as soon as you are out of here, okay? Or sooner, in case you get bored”, Jack asked with a smile. For the first time she placed her hand on hers.   
Hollis nodded. “Absolutely.”

With company like that, maybe a stay in the hospital wouldn’t even be that worse as she would have expected.

***

“Gibbs, I … I have to ask you something.” She blurted the words out after a walk in full silence through a silent, empty hospital floor.   
“Go ahead”, he said without looking at her.   
Jack fiddled with her hands, nervousness arising. “What Hollis said … do you really think she hallucinated?”   
She glanced at him out of the corner of eye, not able to read his face, though.   
“I just tried to give you a backdoor out of that uncomfortable situation. She has a tendency to address subjects that don’t concern her.”   
The beating of her heart increased. She wasn’t sure what she might have expected, but it didn’t necessarily surprise her.   
“She wasn’t. Making me uncomfortable, I mean.”   
“Well, good.” The reached the elevator, Gibbs pressed the button, and the doors opened just seconds later.  
She tried it with humor and chuckled. “You don’t have to guard me from your ex-girlfriend, Gibbs.” She leaned forward, pushed the ground floor level and then leaned back against the wall.   
“T’s not because she’s my ex”, he gave back. “It’s cause she doesn’t avoid to intrude in stuff that doesn’t concern her.”  
Jack pursed her lips.   
Okay. Next step.   
“How did you two get together?”   
This time he couldn’t trick her. She saw him frown.   
For a whole seven seconds all that was to be heard was the sound of the descending elevator.  
“I kissed her.” It dinged, the doors opened, and he rushed out.   
She rolled her eyes. God, he could be strenuous. “I guess so”, she followed him. “I wanna know HOW.”   
“Why, Jack?” He chuckled as he turned to face her, for the first time. “You jealous?”   
She held his gaze and stared at him. “What if I were?”   
He slowed down his steps but avoided her. Again, she couldn’t read him. And again, it drove her crazy.

“I don’t.”   
She blinked. “What?”  
“She didn’t hallucinate. She was always good at detecting and putting pieces together.” He signed and finally turned towards her. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it earlier.”   
Jack ignored the knowing feeling in her body, seeping through her bones, running through her veins. “Now YOU are the one speaking in riddles.”  
“You asked how we got together?”  
She nodded. She wanted to know and she didn’t.   
“She was upfront with me, practically forced me to make a move. Then she saved my life, and I came to her place, and I kissed her.” He signed and all of a sudden it seemed painfully. “I didn’t call her for a while. We met again for another case, and she … she appealed to my conscience.”   
“So it was her, hu.” She lifted her eyebrow, not able to help the growing sympathy she developed for this woman.   
Gibbs smiled. “To be the major turning point for making us happen? Yeah.” As soon as the smile had appeared, it faded again. “I don’t want it to be like that again.” And he looked at her.   
REALLY looked at her.   
Jack felt every single fibre in her body screaming to just _kiss_ him, but she resisted, she persisted.   
“You are different, Jack.”   
The sudden devotion in his voice turned her legs weak and she felt as if she could break every second, and that wasn’t just because of the lack of sleep.   
And instead, she did what she always did when she felt her composure crumble. She went on attack. “Then prove it.” She concentrated on staring at him, not gazing, of challenging him. “HOW am I different?”   
The answer came just a second later. “You don’t push. You know my secrets, know my demons, and I know yours.”   
He stepped in closer. “I don’t want to hurt you.”   
Her heart jumped. “You won’t, Jethro.” _Well, at least not in the way you think_.  
He signed. “I will try. I promise.”

And they fell silent. Again.

It was still dark outside but not as black as ink anymore – on the far horizon Jack could make out the beginning of a new day.   
She inhaled the cool morning air and, for the first time, let the hurricane of emotions swirl through her mind.   
A lot had happened within the past 8 to 10 or more hours.   
She met Hollis. Hollis Mann who had always been some mysterious creature lingering in Ellie’s, McGee’s and especially Gibbs’ mind, who had gotten shot by someone no one even knew, and no one of them even cared. And then there was the way Gibbs had behaved around her, and how different he had been. The invisible yet oh so clear bond they shared. Hollis’ husband who seemed wonderful, who cared for her, who showed his affection, who was just …   
Yes. She was happy for her, but it had only shown her, again, what she missed. What was lacking in her life.   
Someone who was there for her.

“You know you’ve already managed to stick around with me for a lot longer than she did”, Gibbs suddenly said and she would’ve jumped if she weren’t so damn exhausted.   
“Did you read my mind or what?”, she decided to say, not feeling like fighting any longer or giving hints. If he didn’t get it after THAT time now, after that moment they had just shared in the lobby, he’d probably never.   
“You’re thinkin’ awfully loud”, he gave back.   
She shrugged. “I may have been able to handle you for a longer time than she did, but it’s not even half the way I would wish it to be.”   
He stopped next to her. He really, actually stopped walking.   
“What?”   
She couldn’t see his face, but there was something in his voice, something disbelieving, astonished, confused.   
Now Jack stilled, too. Closed her eyes, feeling tears threaten to come up.   
And then she just blurted it out.

“You and her, even after years, after her getting married, after declaring this a friendship, you two are closer than you and me, and I … I just don’t get it. We talk about everything, we share our secrets, whatever bothers us, and in some moments, I even allowed myself to think that there might be something, that I didn’t just imagine it, that the team was right with claiming there was a “thing” …”  
“Jack …” She overheard the softness in his voice, didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to be lost again.   
She was sick of getting putt off, sick of being treated as if she were just a _co-worker_.   
“And then you bought me that damn elephant! You never do anything without a purpose, so I thought . I don’t even know what I thought! Apparently, you don’t want the same as I do, and all of this, it just showed me that …”   
She felt him taking a firm grasp on her arm and she turned around, ready to fire the words straight into his face – as his lips locked with hers and the action took her breath away.

Jack froze. She literally and physically froze to the spot, and her brain just shut down.

The sensation of his lips on hers sent tickles over her body, straight to her beating heart, and for moments she feared that this was all a dream, that she was still on the hospital chair, dreaming, phantasizing … as he slowly pulled away and put a little more space between them, smiling down at her. Jack stared into his eyes, breathless and speechless and utterly surprised, stared into the bluest of blue she had ever seen – and she knew this wasn’t a dream.   
This was real.   
Did I really just …   
“If ya would’ve let me explain, could’ve spared yourself the raging speach.”   
Her brain was slowly getting into action again, helping her to get out a single word. “But …”  
That was all. She couldn’t get out anything else, instead her eyes fell on his lips, and she was overly aware of the way she was literally drooling and he was watching her.

As he suddenly chuckled she swallowed and focused on his eyes again.   
“Why didn’t you say anything?”  
He chuckled. “Do you know that it’s nearly impossible to interrupt you when you’re in the mood of a speech?”   
Only now she realized how his hand was on the small of her back, neither to sloppy nor possessive, and the touch warmed her from her to toe.   
She took a deep breath and bit her lip, shaking her head. “Oh god I’m so sorry.”  
“No, Jack.” His hand went up in her hair, caressing her cheek. He had never looked softer and more vulnerable and … she loved it. “I am sorry. About how long I dragged this out. I … I should have said something. Anything.”  
“Talking has never been a strength of yours.” She smiled and made a move to wipe her eyes as he already brushed his thumb over her face. Her eyes fell shut and she leaned in, leaned into his embrace, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.   
She was leaning against his chest, his arms around her, and she honestly had no idea what she was feeling.

“Thinkin’ again, Sloane?”, his teasing, whispering voice travelled down to her.   
She smiled. She started smiling like an idiot.   
“Yeah. About …” She pulled back, raised her chin, and finally, finally was brave enough to take him all in, to look at him the way she had dreamed to do. “What about if you’d kiss me again?”   
“Oh with pleasure.”

It was sweet. HE was sweet. Sweet and soft and oh so much tender that she had imagined, and her dreams had been wonderful. His lips were chapped and rough but the way he kissed her was more than she had ever wished for, perfect in every sense.   
He was a lot more wonderful in reality, though. He always was. He was stubborn, he couldn’t be exhausting, challenging, drive her crazy – but then he was caring and soft, protective and strong, and overall … her confidant. She trusted him with every single part of her body and soul, and that she had never felt with anyone ever before.

She signed as he gently asked for entrance and she opened her lips, moved her hand in his hair and kissed him back, pouring everything she had into the kiss.   
She felt alive. More alive than she had in years, her spine tickling, her heart beating, her skin catching fire, and she loved every second of it.

As they pulled apart again Jack exhaled and rested her head in the crook of his neck, smiling happily.   
“If anyone would have asked me I would have never guessed our first kiss to be in a hospital’s parking lot early in the morning.”   
He laughed, his whole boy vibrating at the movie, and she smiled. He shifted, kissed her forehead and nudged her with his arm still draped around her waist. “C’mon. Now you have to get some sleep.”   
She pulled back in his embrace and gave him a challenging look. “Sleep or “sleep”?” She wiggled her eyebrows.   
His eyes darkened but his expression didn’t give him away. Again.   
Hu, he was a hardass. But he was HER hardass. She could handle this.   
“Whatever you wish.” A smile tucked at the corner of his lips as he spoke the three words. She moved her hand along his arm and interlaced their hands.   
“Let’s see when we get there.”   
She was the first to take a step and he followed her, hands entwined, and suddenly she felt as if she were walking on clouds, everything inside and around her … at ease. A calming, content and excited ease.

He surprised her completely as he gentle pushed her to lean against her car, kissing her again, and again, and again until she felt as if her brain had melted and her legs turned to jelly.

“If I had known what I missed I would have held this speech a lot earlier”, she panted as he pulled back. He gave her that cheeky, smug grin which sent the butterflies in her stomach to heaven.   
“Wouldn’t ever have thought I’d do this, but … I agree with you.”   
This time it was her to chuckle and she playfully tucked at his shirt. Locking eyes with him, she smiled as he did the same.   
“Take me home, Cowboy.”

And she couldn’t care less that her car would spend the next hours on a lonely hospital parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did you like this version? : )

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this idea I came up with : ) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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